They released their first album, The Big Come Up, in 2002, followed by Thickfreakness in 2003, and Rubber Factory in 2004. October 2005 saw the release of the DVD Live, recorded live at The Metro Theatre in Sydney, Australia March 18, 2005. In 2006 they released Magic Potion, as well as the lesser-known Chulahoma and a single version of Your Touch.
One of their trademarks is their preference for simple, lo-fi recording techniques. They refuse to use big-name studios, and do most recording, producing, and mixing themselves. Most of Thickfreakness was recorded in about 14 hours in Carney's basement, using only an early 80's Tascam 388 8-track recorder. Often, their recordings still have background noises (such as an owl hooting).
The Black Keys have achieved increasing critical acclaim and recognition since their debut album, which itself received praise from Rolling Stone magazine. Time magazine named them one of the "10 Best Acts of 2003" (behind OutKast and The White Stripes). They have supported a number of bands: they toured with Sleater-Kinney in 2003, had a short stint opening for Beck, have recently opened for Radiohead on the American leg of their brief 2006 tour, and performed at Lollapalooza in 2005 and 2007. In addition to this, they were also well-liked by influential British radio DJ John Peel and appeared on both Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Late Show with David Letterman. Famous followers of the band include Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, and Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammet. Matt Helders, drummer for the Arctic Monkeys, can be seen in a Black Keys T-Shirt in an interview on MTV's RAW.
Their song "When the Lights Go Out" was featured in the 2007 film Black Snake Moan, and also on the soundtrack for that movie. The Black Keys were included in the soundtrack of the 2003 movie School of Rock with their song, "Set You Free". "Lies" was featured in the conclusion of the February 4, 2009 episode of Lie to Me. One of their songs, "Girl Is on My Mind", was used in a 2006 Sony Ericsson advertisement, starring the tennis players Ana IvanoviÄ and Daniela HantuchovĆ”, gaining the band more commercial recognition. It was also used in a 2006 Victoria's Secret commercial featuring Heidi Klum and could be heard in the movies Rest Stop and Cashback. Their song "10 am Automatic" was used in the video game MLB '06: The Show, The O.C., The Go-Getter, and was also used in a 2007 American Express commercial starring Shaun White. "Your Touch" was featured in a 2007 Lee's jeans commercial, and can be heard both in an episode of NBC's Friday Night Lights and in an episode of "Eastbound and Down". Their cover "Grown So Ugly" can be heard in the background of the going away party in the 2007 film Cloverfield. "Strange Times" is used in Grand Theft Auto IV on the in-game radio station Radio Broker. "Strange Times" can also be heard during a preview for ABC's The Mole, and the trailer for season three of the Showtime series Dexter, as well as a promo for Gossip Girl. Their song "Just Got To Be" is used on the soundtrack for the video game NHL 08, and "Hard Row" is featured in the premiere episode of the FX show Sons of Anarchy. Sons of Anarchy has gone on to use "Keep Me" in both Episodes 6 and 7, as well as "Busted" in episode 7. The song "Lies" is featured in the advertising campaign for the third season of HBO's Big Love. "The Breaks" can be heard in Guy Ritchie' film RocknRolla. "Your Touch" can also be heard in the HBO series "Entourage" in the episode "Manic Monday", during the opening scenes. The song "Psychotic Girl" is featured the episode "Messin' with the Kid" in season 6 of One Tree Hill. "I'll Be Your Man" is the opening theme song for the HBO show Hungand was also featured in an episode of the FX Network show Rescue Me. "Your Touch" can also be heard in the film Zombieland and in an episode of "Eastbound and Down" on HBO. The song "I Got Mine" has been used in HBO's sports reality series 24/7 Pacquiao-Hatton" [13] as well as background music for the 2009 American League Championship Series. The song "Next Girl" is featured in the in game radio of Saints Row the Third.
Their fourth record that Danger Mouse produced Attack & Release was out April 1st 2008. The duo's fifth album is the first one recorded in a proper studio.
The Band's fifth album, "Brothers" was released in spring 2010 and has seen increasing amounts of exposure to the "Dancing T-Rex" video for the song "Tighten Up" that went viral...until the band asked it to be removed because they felt it made light of their music. A proper video was released later in 2010, featuring Dan Auerbach and Pat Carney at a playground and was pushed on the band's official YouTube channel, as well as through the iTunes and Zune marketplaces. The track "Tighten Up" was also used as the background music for a Subaru Legacy commercial and on the FIFA 2011 Soundtrack.
The Black Keys' seventh studio album, "El Camino," was released on the 6th of December 2011. Co-produced by Danger Mouse, the album was released to critical acclaim, receiving positive reviews from The Rolling Stones, NME and more. Melissa Maerz of Entertainment Weekly commented on "El Camino", saying that "El Camino trades the soulful stylings of Brothers for harder-driving, faster-riffing rock & roll". At the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, El Camino won the award for Best Rock Album, while "Lonely Boy" received multiple honors, taking 'Best Rock Performance' and 'Best Rock Song'. The album has sold 1.4 million copies in the United States to date.
The Black Keys' eighth studio album, Turn Blue, was released on May 12, 2014 to generally favorable reviews.
My Mind Is Ramblin'
The Black Keys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From place to place
Tell me, tell me
What must I do?
Yeah-hee yeah-hee
Yeah-hee yeah~aww
Hahh-hahh
Ahh~ahh
Ahh~ahh~ahh~ahh
I been love
Been love for a long time
With you baby
Gimme your hand, yeah
Say you love me
Say that you'll be mine
Yeah-hee yeah-hee
Yeah-hee yeah
Yeah-hee yeah-hee
Yeah-hee yeah-hee~aww
Oh-hoh
Oh~oh~oh~oh
Oh oh
Oh~oh~oh~oh
Oh-hoh
Oh~oh~oh~oh
My mind is ramblin'
From place to place
Tell me, tell me
Tell me what to do
Be the right way
Yeah-hee yeah-hee
Yeah-hee yeah~eah
Yeah-hee yeah-hee
Yeah-hee yeah~aww
Oh-hoh
Oh~oh~oh~oh
Oh-hoh
Oh~oh~oh~no
The Black Keys' song "My Mind Is Ramblin'" is a bluesy, raw expression of the singer's inner turmoil. The repeated line "My mind is ramblin' from place to place" serves as a reminder of the singer's inability to focus his thoughts, and the restless energy that leaves him feeling ungrounded. The song is a plea for guidance and direction, with the singer asking "Tell me, tell me, what must I do?" The repetition of this line emphasizes the sense of desperation and urgency that the singer feels.
The second verse of the song is focused more explicitly on love, with the singer admitting "I been love, been love for a long time with you, baby." However, even this admission is not straightforward, as the singer continues to seek reassurance and validation from his partner, asking her to give him her hand and to say she loves him and will be his. The repetition of the word "yeah" in this section of the song serves to underscore the singer's desire for connection and affirmation.
Line by Line Meaning
My mind is ramblin'
I'm feeling scattered and unfocused
From place to place
Without direction or guidance
Tell me, tell me
I need someone to give me advice
What must I do?
I'm feeling lost and confused
Yeah-hee yeah-hee
Exclamation of frustration or anxiety
Yeah-hee yeah~aww
Expressing disappointment or hopelessness
I been love
I have been in love
Been love for a long time
My feelings have been strong and enduring
With you baby
Directed towards a specific person
Gimme your hand, yeah
I need someone to guide me
Say you love me
Requesting affection and reassurance
Say that you'll be mine
Asking for commitment and loyalty
Oh-hoh
Exclamation of emotion or intensity
Oh~oh~oh~oh
Vocalization of feeling or desire
Be the right way
In search of guidance and direction
Oh~oh~oh~no
Expression of disappointment or dismay
Contributed by Ellie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@scoobiesnacks
Love this jam and my neighbors too, they keep yelling this way!!!
@petetruly3009
One of their best of all time, only BK song that's better is Meet me in the city. Chulahoma is a masterpiece and fantastic tribute to Jr. RIP
@NicoleSams
I wish Iād gone to his juke joint back then ā¤šø
@WintaAssefa
Bruhh, this is one of my favorite covers (and albums) ever!
@tonhoeneveld7135
I love this.
@chivonfortney1656
ā¤ā¤ā¤ā¤ā¤
@chopayrussell9660
Biker bar blues
@DanTronman
Junior, Dan and Patrick obviously had their guts ripped out by females, repeatedly
@fedegufedegu
1